Uncommon Knowledge: Are beards good for you?

It has been scientifically proven that beards are awesome. For one thing, a beard can literally save you from cancer, by blocking 90% of the UV rays that would ordinarily be hitting your face. Since UV radiation also causes signs of aging in skin, a beard can keep you looking younger longer. Facial hair can also reduce your trouble with allergies, by trapping dust and pollen. On the other hand, shaving can cause skin irritation, ingrown hair and bacterial infections. So don’t just grow that beard to enhance your rugged manliness. Grow it for your health.

Nathan is a copywriter, who helps create our product descriptions as well as our weekly emails. He is also a nationally award-winning musical theater writer, whose work includes an adaptation of Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver. Nathan has also been a classical violinist, tutored Kazakhstani jewelers in entrepreneurship, created large-scale games played across entire city blocks, served as a missionary in South Korea, conducted experiments in sonoluminescence, co-founded an exotic fruit-growing business, was a theater critic for Tucson Weekly, and as a teenager composed a women’s jazz quartet that is currently performed around the world.

Hooray for Math! Planning the Perfect Pi Day Party
Whether you flew through calculus or crawled your way through freshman year algebra, a party with pie is something everyone can get behind. Pi Day, a nerdtastic celebration of all things pi and pie, is approaching. Celebrate 3.1415... on 3/14/15 with these Pi Party pointers!

Uncommon Personalities: Meet Abi Treut
Ever wonder who sends the emails you get from UncommonGoods? Meet Abi from our Marketing team! (She also sends positive vibes while spreading "abbreves" and making walking in heels look easy.)

Gift Lab: Build Your Own Brooklyn
SEO Coordinator Rocky constructs a bit of the Brooklyn skyline in a corner of our office and makes some pretty entertaining videos while he's at it. It’s a good thing the iconic objects he’s crafting from our DIY kits are seriously scaled-down!

Instagram Challenge: FURRY FRIENDS
We're excited to bring back our most adorable challenge yet! Whether it's the dog that's been keeping you cozy all winter, or the cat that's already taken over your Instagram feed, we want to see your cutest non-human friends. While sharing your best shots, be sure to use the hashtag #UGInstafun for a chance to win a $50 gift card.